Professor John Esposito joins us on the afikra podcast to talk about studying Islam, Islamophobia in the US, and what Arabs inside and outside of the Arab region misunderstand about Islam. Esposito shares his roundabout journey into the field of Islamic studies, starting with wanting to become a priest. Finally, he reflects on the Iranian revolution and 9/11 ... Show More
Aug 24
1001 Nights, the Arab Novel & the Age of Decay That Never Was | Prof. Muhsin al-Musawi
Arabic culture and literature hold a vastly rich classical history that continues to captivate scholars and readers worldwide. Renowned literary critic and Columbia University professor, Dr. Muhsin Al-Musawi, explores the depths of this heritage, from the global allure of the Ara ... Show More
54m 3s
Aug 2025
Episode 42 - Political Islam’s 120-year story - from anti-colonial struggle to now | John Esposito | UNAPOLOGETIC
In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC Professor John Esposito — one of the world’s foremost scholars on political Islam — unpacks 120 years of modern Islamic movements. From Afghani and Abdu’s 19th-century reformist vision, through Hassan al-Banna and Maududi’s activism, to Sayyid Qutb ... Show More
2h 17m
May 2022
255. What We Can All Learn From Islam & The Quran | Hamza Yusuf
This episode was recorded on December 28th, 2021.
In this episode, Hamza Yusuf and I discuss the core beliefs of Islam, Hamza’s conversion, the importance of bridging religions, and the problem with our culture now.
Hamza Yusuf is an American neo-traditionalist Islamic scholar, ... Show More
1h 39m
Mar 2022
140. Opposing Views: Islam - The End of Europe? | Mohammed Hijab & Ayaan Hirsi Ali
In this episode of Opposing Views, we explore Islam as a religious and cultural phenomenon. Mikhaila asks her guests about peace, religious differences, violence, treatment of women, nonbelievers, Sharia, the veil, and much more.
Mohammed Hijab is an author and philosopher of re ... Show More
1h 40m
Nov 2021
FWD: "Koolaids: The Art of War" by Rabih Alameddine
In this afikra FWD, Ahmed Ashour talks about "Koolaids: The Art of War" by Rabih Alameddine. Ahmed talks about the characters, plot, and post-modern literature.
Note: Ahmed is not an expert on this subject but is sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in the subjec ... Show More
17m 16s
Dec 2021
209. Islam and the Possibilities of Peace | Mohammed Hijab
This episode was recorded on November 10th, 2021.
In this episode, philosopher Mohammed Hijab joined me to discuss a wide array of topics, such as the traditionalist interpretation of Islam, its metanarrative, the story of the prophet Muhammad, and some common ground among monot ... Show More
1h 36m